John Sherman, President Joe Biden’s pick for the role of Department of Defense chief information officer, said at his confirmation hearing that he intends to make the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification requirements less burdensome for small and medium-sized businesses. Small businesses have been clamoring for a more lenient CMMC audit and have sought to be […]
Chris DeRusha, the federal chief information security officer within the Office of Management and Budget, will take on additional responsibilities as deputy national cyber director for federal cybersecurity. National Cyber Director Chris Inglis said DeRusha’s appointment will benefit cybersecurity officials in federal agencies, CyberScoop reported. The Office of the National Cyber Director is a newly […]
The U.S. Army wants to establish responsibilities at each echelon for local network defenders in a bid to improve service and joint cybersecurity posture. Currently, cybersecurity service providers within the Army that are tasked as local or installation level network operators and defenders have varying levels of responsibility. The situation occasionally leads to local network […]
A House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Tuesday saw cybersecurity experts and former federal officials stressing the need to bolster information-sharing between the public and private sectors around cyber threats for planes, trains and pipelines. Witnesses also called for new regulatory measures that could potentially help increase trust between government agencies and private sector stakeholders […]
The FBI is warning organizations about rising Ranzy Locker ransomware attacks aimed at U.S. companies. According to a flash report published on Oct. 25, unknown actors have compromised over 30 businesses from late 2020 to July 2021. Affected organizations operate in the manufacturing, transportation and information technology sectors. The Ranzy Locker ransomware exploits vulnerabilities within […]
The U.S. Department of State on Monday bared plans to create a Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, a new agency dedicated to the promotion of international cybersecurity and freedom. Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters that a modernization team led by two deputy secretaries recommended the new bureau’s establishment, taking its cue from proposals first […]
Technology company Microsoft said the group responsible for the SolarWinds hack continues to execute cyberattacks against the company’s customers through resellers. Microsoft said in a blog post published on Monday that Russian government hackers, which the company named Nobelium, exploit existing technical trust relationships between resellers and the organizations they serve. A separate post from […]
New legislation circulating in Congress aims to address the inadequate federal response to cyber incidents. If passed, the proposed DHS Roles and Responsibilities in Cyber Space Act would require the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to assess the agency’s cyber incident response plans and procedures, including how the agency works with private sector […]
The Nevada National Guard’s 152nd Airlift Wing has partnered with the University of Nevada Reno Cyber Club to enhance each other’s cybersecurity skills. The National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security have recognized UNR as a Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, the Air National Guard reported Tuesday. Tech. Sgt. Thomas Bruce, […]
The Federal Mobility Group has released new guidance for securing government mobile devices when employees travel overseas, in a broad effort to confront and mitigate the growing list of mobile-specific cybersecurity challenges. The interagency body outlines the risks in carrying smartphones and tablets abroad, as well as best practices for securing them, in its “International […]
